Electrical dehydrator having blade electrode



Dec. 29, 1931. w Q, EDDY 1,838,920

ELECTRICAL DEHYDRATOR HAVING BLADE ELECTRODE Filed Jan. 4, 1927 .lj/l'f/Taz: WILL/AM 0. 90)

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 @UNITED STATES P T NT oFF'Ic-E WILLIAM O. EDDY, 0] LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB 1'0 PETROLEUM: BEC'IIFY- ING COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, 01' LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL DEHYDRATOR HAVING BLADE ELECTRODE Application filed January 4, 1927. Serial in. 153,949.

This invention relates to dehydrator particularly adapted for removing water particles from emulsified petroleum.

It is common practice to dehydrate emulsified petroleum by passing the emulsion through an electrical dehydrator in which it is sub ected to the action of an electric field. The electric field coalescesthe water particles into masses of suflicient size to gravitate from the petroleum.

I have found that dehydration is more efficient if the emulsion is agitated during the time it is subjected to the action of the electric field.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a dehydrator in which the emulsion is agitated during the time it is acted upon by the electric field.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dehydrator in which the treating action in the treating space is equal at all parts. This feature of my invention is accomplished by providing the dehydrator with a rotatable electrode having sector-shaped blades.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings in which I illustrate my invention:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a dehydrator in which this invention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on.

the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, 11 denotes a tank having a cylindrical wall 12, the lower part 7 of which is connected to a conical bottom till 13 towhich conical bottom 13 an outlet pipe 14 is connected, The upper end of the cylindrical wall 12 is connected to an annular radial wall 15 which surrounds an opening 16. Extended across the tank 11 in the plane of the lower part of the cylindrical Wall 12 is an interstitial wall 18 having a central opening 19. The interstitial wall 18 is preferably formed of coarse wire mesh. Plac d in the opening 16 in the plane of the radial wall 15 is an annular interstitial wall 20 having a central opening 21. Connected :to the inner part of the annular radial Wall 15 is a dome 22 which provides a dry oil chamber 23 connecting to the opening 16.

The annular radial wall 15 and the annular interstitial wall 20, the cylindrical wall 12, and the interstitial wall 18 provide a treatmg space 25.

Extended through the top of the dome 22 .is an insulation inlet bushing 27 through which a shaft 28 extends. The shaft 28 extends through the opening 21 into the treating space 25. Supported on the lower end of the shaft 28 by means of a plate 29 is a live electrode 30. The live electrode 30 consists of a hub 31 which is preferably rotatably supported at the lower end of the shaft 28. Extended radially outward from the hub 31 is a plurality of sector-shaped blades 32. The outer ends of the sector-shaped blades 32 terminate a distance from the cylindrical wall 12 which is substantially equal to the distance between the blades and the upper walls and the blades and the lower wall forming the treating space 25.

An electric field is established in the treating space between the walls which form it and the electrode by means of a transformer 34 having a secondary 35 which is connected b means of a conductor 36 to the outer end of t e shaft 28 and by means of a conductor 37 to the tank 11, the tank 11 being grounded as indicated at 39.

For the purpose of supplying emulsion to the dehydrator I provide an emulsion supply pipe 40 which isconnected to a series of concentric ring pipes 41. The ring pipes 41 carry T fittings 42, and connectedto the T fittings 42 are nozzles 43 which are illustrated in detail in Fig. 4. Referring to Fig. 4, each of the nozzles 43 has a body 44 which provides a chamber 46 communicated with one of the ring pipes 41. The lower part of the body 44 is threaded at 47 so that it may be connected to a fitting 48 whereby it is attached to the annular radial wall 15. The inner end of the body 44 is in communication with the upper part of the treating space 25. A cap 49 is attached to the upper part of the body 44, and extended through the cap 49 is a valve stem 50 of a needle valve. The stem 50 is extended through a stufiing box 51 of the cap 49 and itis threaded as indicated at 52. The inner end of the stem 50 is provided with a valve portion 53 which is adapted to seat against the lower part of the body 44 and close a passage 55. The nozzles 43 are arranged so that they extend tangentially with regard to the treating space 25; in other words, they are extended at right angles to a radial line extending through the central part of the treating space. The nozzles are also inclined so that they extend at an angle of about thirty degrees with a horizontal plane. The object of placing the needle valves in this manner is to cause the emulsion which is introduced into the treating space 25 by the nozzles to be effectively agitated and swirled so that it will move in a circular path in the treating space. As shown best in Fig. 2 the nozzles 43 are arranged at different radial distances from the center of the treating space and are circumferentially spaced so that the nozzles are radially disaligned from each other so that the agitation at all parts of the treating space will be substantially equal.

The operation of the invention is substantially as follows: The emulsion is introduced into the chamher, as just described, and will be agitated and moved through a swirling path. An

electric field is established in the treating space by energizing the transformer 34. The emulsion in being subjected to the action of the electric field has the water particles coalesced so that they may later be easily separated from the oil by gravity. In the drawings the electrode 30- is shown as being rotatably supported. The force of the emulsion is utilized for rotating this electrode. There is, however, a slippage so that the electrode rotates at a slower rate of speed than does the emulsion. For this reason the treatment is evenly distributed on the oil and is evenly distributed throughout the treating space 25. The blades 32 are made sectorshaped for the purpose of obtaining an even treatment.v At the central part of the treat ing space the velocity of the electrode is slower, whereas at the outer ends of the blades 32 the velocity is much faster; for this reason it is necessary if an even treatment is to be procured that the blades 32 be sector-shaped. This can best be seen by noting that the length of time each particle of oil receives treatment must be a constant it the treatment is to be uniform. As the outer ends of the electrode move faster than the inner parts, it follows that the width of the blade must be greater at the outer end than at the inner end in order that the time of treatment be constant in each position. Thus, the blades are made se'ctor-shaped to accomplish this res'ult of uniform treatment. Although the electrode 30 is shown as being rotatable by the emulsion, it may be rotated by an external mechanical means, this being readily accomplished by making the shaft 28 rotatable and attaching the electrode 30 rigidly to the shaft. On the other hand, the electrode 30 may be non-rotatable and the emulsion be substantially evenly treated in view of the fact that it is moving in a circular path through the treating space 25. Better results are obgained, however, if the electrode 30 is rotata- At the center of the treating space 25 where there is no motion there will be no short-circuiting because of the fact that the openings 19 and 21 are provided.

The emulsion passes downward through the opening 19 and the interstitial wall 18 into the lower part of the tank 11 and is withdrawn through the pipe 14, being delivered by this pipe to a suitable settling tank where a separation of the oil and water occurs. The dehydrator of my invention is efficient in coalescing the water particles principally because of the agitation of the emulsion and of the type of electrode 30 which the invention provides. The treatin action is evenly distributed throughout t 1e treating space 25 and there will be no short-circuitmg because the electrode 30 is moving.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dehydrator comprising: walls forming a treating space; a blade electrode in said treating space, said blade electrode having sector-shaped blades; means for supporting said electrode in said treating space; means for introducing emulsion into said treating space in such a manner that said emulsion is agitated and is moved in aswirling path; means for establishing an electric field in said treating space; and an outlet for said treating s ace.

2. dehydrator comprisin walls forming a treating space; a rotata le blade electrode in said treatin space, said blade electrode having sector-s aped blades; means for rotatably supporting said electrode in said treating space; means for introducing emulsion into said treating space in such a. manner that said emulsion is agitated and is moved in a swirling path, said electrode being rotated by the movement of said emulsion; means for establishing an electric field in said treating space; and an outlet for said treating space.

3. A dehydrator comprising: walls forming a treating space; means for introducing emulsion into said treating space in such a manner that said emulsion is agitated and is moved in a swirling path; a rotatable blade electrode in said treating space, said electrode being formed to provide a greater surface area toward the periphery of said. blade electrode so as to equally treat the emulsion l g at different radial distances from the axis of rotation of said electrode; means for rotat-- ably supporting said electrode in said treating space; means for establishing an electric field in said treating space ;.and an outlet for said treating space y 4. A dehydrator comprising: a pair of electrodes defining a substantially fiat space therebetween; means for establishing an electric field between said electrodes; and a nozzle extending through one of said electrodes tangential to a circle drawn about the central axis of one of said electrodes and inclined so as to direct a fluid to be treated into said space with a swirling motion. 1

5. A dehydrator comprising: a pair of electrodes defining a substantially flat space therebetween; means for establishing an electric field between said electrodes; and a plurality of nozzles extending through one of said electrodes, said nozzles being arranged tangential to a circle drawn about the central axis of one of said electrodes but at different radial distances therefrom and inclined so as to direct a fluid to be treated into said space with a swirling motion.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5 1n which said nozzles are also circumferentially spaced around said axis.

7. A combination as defined in claim 5 including means for individually regulating the flow of said fluid through each of said nozzles.

8. In a dehydrator, the combination of walls forming a treating space having a central axis; and a plurality of nozzles disposed tangentially around said axis and inclined to direct a fluid into said treating space in such a manner that a swirling motion is imparted to a fluid in said space, said nozzles being disposed at different radial distances from said axis.

9. In a dehydrator, the combination of: walls forming a treating space, said Walls including a flat interstitial wall having a central opening; a blade electrode in said treating space and axially aligned with said central opening; m'eansfor setting up an electric field between said walls and saidelectrode; and means spaced from said blade electrode for introducing a fluid to be treated into said treating space, said fluid thereafter passing through said interstitial wall.

10. In a dehydrator, the combination of: a tank; an interstitial wall extending across said tank and cooperating with the walls thereof in forming a substantially flat treating space thereabove; an electrode in said treating space and insulated from said tank; and means extending through the walls of said treating space for introducing the emulsion to be treated into said treating space at a plurality of points.

11. In a dehydrator, the'combination of: a rotatable electrode providing sector-shaped blades extending substantially radially fromthe axis of rotation thereof; and means providing another electrode adjacent said rotatable electrode.

12. A dehydrator comprising: 'walls forming a treating space containing a body of liquid; means for setting said body of liquid into rotation, said means including a nozzle means directed thereinto; an electrode freely rotatable in said treating space and providing blades contacted by said swirling bod of liquid to rotate said electrode therewith whereby said arms are swept through said treating space; and means for setting up an electric field in said treating space.

13. In a dehydrator, the combination of: a stationary electrode; a movable electrode having blades positioned in the same plane and separated by spaces; means for establishing a difference of potential between said stationary and movable electrodes in a manner to set-up a field therebetween; and a nozzle associated with said stationary electrode and spaced from said plane and directing a stream of fluid in a direction toward the plane of said blades of said movable electrode as it moves therepast.

14. In a dehydrator, the combination of: .a flat electrode providing a central opening; a rotatable electrode disposed adjacent sald central opening but insulated from said flat electrode and rotatable about the axis of said central opening; supporting means for said rotatable electrode and extending away from that side of said rotatable electrode adjacent said central opening whereby there is no tendency, to short circuit said electrodes along said axis; means for impressing a diflerence of potential between said electrodes to set up an electric field therebetween; and means for introducing emulsion into said electric field. i I

15. In an electric treater, the combination of z a tank containing a body of liquid; electrode means for establishing an electric field in a treating space of said tank; and nozzle means for directing a stream of the emulsion to be treated into said treating space in a direction inclined to the horizontal and tangential to a circle drawn around the vertical axis of said tank whereby said stream tends to rotate said body of liquid. V

16. A combination as defined in claim 15 in which said nozzle means is inclined downward .fromthe horizontal and in which said nozzle means is associated with 'said tank.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 30th day'of December, 1926.

' WILLIAM O. EDDY. 

